Blood Stained Memories
by Pixieblade
Summary: Sci-Fi AU: Escaping the clutches of the Guild is just the first step in a deadly game where old-world mythology must go head to head with the hi-tech power of the Star People.
1. Chapter 1

**Blood Stained Memories**

Pairing/Rating: 58/MA

Saiyuki FF AU Summary: (I've been reading to much Andre Norton and C.J. Cheryh...) Escaping the clutches of the Guild is just the first step in a deadly game where old-world mythology must go head to head with the hi-tech power of the Star People. Shar-ui, cast the knife child of fur and fang; Shar-ui, cast the wand child of vine and blood; Shar-ui'e, catch the world in your hands children of Sun and Earth...the old Powers are waking--you're time is now.

AN: A word on the names:

The Slavic name Kalan means - stream, river. (8)

Old English name Grayson means – son of the gray haired one. (5)

The Egyptian name Keb means – earth; an ancient earth god. (9)

The Sanskrit name Tarak means - star; protector; sun. (3)

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Ch. 1

There was a definite trickle across his stomach. It was an…_odd_ sensation, one which he wasn't sure he wanted to repeat. It'd been years now and still the same dream, the same slightly sickening lurch of his stomach as the muscles contracted under the onslaught. He hissed, sucking in air between lips red and swollen from his previous anxious gnawing at their thin surface. His dreams always faded into heart wrenching terror and searing pain lacing across his skin and through his mind. Eventually he'd scream, a feral, wild sound that would tear through him, yanking him from the sweat soaked surface of the bed, the room snapping into painful clarity—white floors and rubber walls; everything glaringly stark under the never changing fluorescent lights.

He hated the color white.

He hadn't before he'd come here. He'd been fine with it. He'd even had a white cat; its red eyes always seemed to glow the brighter for the contrast. He'd loved that cat.

He groaned and fisted his hands in the threadbare, utilitarian sheets, curling in on himself as he did. It wouldn't be long now before they came for him. The white robed men with their disapproving and disparaging glances. It always happened that way. Five years of nightly terrors and nightly visits by rough handling men with straight jackets and drugs and the knowledge that no matter how vehemently he denied it, the dreams were more real than this nightmare of an existence…nightmare of a world, could ever be. There was nothing here to hold his interest anymore.

Oh, he knew what they wrote in their little clipboards, clucking over their charts and muttering their inane little questions he refused to answer. He never answered. Not even when they held him down, their eyes glittering at the little vials of spilt life they forced from his arm or the more painful ones that drew crystal clear liquid from his back. Just remembering the 'treatments' made his mouth go dry and his palms sweat. It'd been a while now since that particular treatment and while he was relieved, it just meant that every day that passed drew him one closer to when those sadistic bastards would come back for more 'tests' and see how he was doing locked in this penthouse in hell.

He longed for death. For the sweet oblivion of a permanent sleep unhindered by a past that never happened the way he remembered it or the future he once thought he'd live to see; knowing that they'd never let him. He was 'sick' and if he behaved…if he was really lucky and took the mind numbing drugs, allowed the manhandling, invasive tests and didn't die from lack of sleep, or malnutrition, or pain and heartache—then maybe he'd be 'cured'. He snorted at the thought. He was just sane enough to know that he wasn't mad enough to survive being 'cured', not by them anyways.

The clanking of the lock being turned on his cell door grabbed his attention. Squirming away from its heavy white bulk he twisted himself into the smallest, most defensible ball of taught muscle and too pale skin that he could. What should have been supple flesh and soft curves became a tangle of brittle bones and paper thin skin. He could only pray that whoever stood behind that door wasn't a member of the goblin squad. 'Goblins' wore the white of the nursing staff, but he would have sworn on a stack of bibles that they were really demon possessed. The sadistic bastards got off beating subduing the more fragile patients and he was the favorite target of one particular horror-made-flesh…Nikoli.

He shivered in horrified expectation as the heavy steel swung open noisily on its rusted hinges, the tall form behind it illuminated by a garish backlight. No goblin then, they all looked like miniature tanks—squat of body and thick of skull. He didn't recognize the form of this one. Maybe he was a dayshift transfer, but why was he alone? The nurse/guards always worked in pairs, even Nikoli and Kira, thank the gods. If it hadn't been for the older Kira's tapering of Nikoli's darker side he'd probably be splayed out like a pinned butterfly under Nikoli's scalpels, blood and brain and chest all open for the freak to fiddle with. A living, breathing anatomy figure put out for display in his private carnival of sin. Its rust and broken glass topped parapets littered with the corpses of a lifetime's worth of hopes and dreams now gone to dust. Discarded and abandoned.

Crimson floated around his distracted face. The man was looming over him in the over lit room, his face crouched in shadow; all hidden but that brilliant red hair and two shimmering ruby eyes. He thought he whimpered then, a piteous sound that was swallowed by his chained hands clanking together, the noise grating on his ears as he uncurled and looped the bound appendages around a strong neck, his claw thin fingers burying in the swaying halo of spilt wine.

"Gray..son!" He croaked out, tears flowing unabashedly down his face, their stains evident when the red-haired man pulled back and stared into emerald eyes, his tan hand cupping a hallow cheek and purring a soothing whisper of sound.

"Shh…it's okay now. I'm here 'Kai, I'm here."

Grayson gathered up the frail man in his arms, holding him close as he made all due haste from the stifling room and down the corridor. He paused twice to listen for a raised alarm, though nothing came to his fierce concentration.

"How?" He whispered, face still buried in the other's shoulder.

"Shh…not now, we gotta get to the lift and get down to the service shafts first, just bare with it for a bit longer and I promise…" He glanced down at the other man, a tender smile on his lips as he brushed them across the white forehead. "I promise I'll tell you everything once we're safe."

"Grayson…the Mind Guard…" Grayson glanced down the hallway and then back at the other, nodding once before he sprinted down the white tiled floor and around a bend quickly. He pressed them behind a med shelf and carefully lowered 'Kai to the ground. Brushing back the soft coffee-stained hair he sucked in a quick breath, fingering the thin silver cords that ran in a criss-cross along the back of his spine along the third, fourth, and fifth vertebra.

"Shit, I'm not sure I can cut these without doing you damage, Kalan. Maybe we should wait until…"

"No. Please, I can't wait any longer. Do it, Gray, please." He glanced over his shoulder at Grayson pleadingly, his hand pressing down in desperation.

"Hell. If it hurts you tell me and we stop, got it? I'm not chancing you on this, not when I've just gotten you back." He bit the corner of his mouth hard, gnawing on the inside edge as he held his right hand in between them, fingers slowly curling and uncurling as he fixed all his attention on their tips. Even mind-locked as Kalan was he could feel the in draw of power. Grayson shuddered, his slightly pointed teeth biting clear through his bottom lip.

"Gray…" Kalan reached up and ran a trembling finger pad over the wound as Grayson looked at him, a small growl escaping his lips.

Kalan ran his fingers up to Gray's ear and through the hair that seemed to hum with electricity. Gray turned and nipped lightly at His exposed wrist, teeth trailing dangerously close to the bright blue vein thrumming below the surface.

"We don't have time for games Grayson Nightwearer, now clip these restraints and let us be gone from this place." Kalan frowned into the cat slit ruby eyes as the exposed claws of Grayson's right hand, now fully extended beyond their typical blunt nails flexed, the claws clicking together as Kalan turned from him, exposing the delicate line of his neck and the infernal silver wires.

"'Kai…thirsty…" Grayson growled around a slightly longer tongue, the saliva thick as he rolled the sounds around in his mouth, the lower clan speech difficult with a muzzle-full of sharp canines.

"After, when we are free and clear you can drink your fill. Now, do it and let's be gone!" He commanded, waiflike arms clutching at the wall as Grayson laced those knife sharp claws beneath the wires and in one swift pull ripped them from Kalan's neck.

He cried out, he knew he did, the pain was excruciating in its intensity. He'd only ever felt the lash of strobe-fire once when he was taken five years ago, he still had the burn-like scar across his stomach to prove it. That blind fire paled by comparison. He howled in pain, doubling over as he felt his own blood bubbling up through the open sockets in his flesh. His skull felt like it was being ripped asunder. The world turned black and then slid sideways. His vision swam and his stomach heaved, attempting to divest itself of the mere scraps of hard bread they'd shoved down his throat hours ago. He wanted to die. It was only Grayson's touch that brought him back to the here and now, though he desperately fought the pain that radiated in electric sparks out from the eight pin head holes.

"Hurt? 'Kai, no hurt." Grayson growled low into the side of his throat, his long lean body pressed flush against his back. Kalan leaned back against the welcomed warmth that rolled off the other man and focused his breathing, pulling from the open channel of power behind him. Gray was like an open book, full of knowledge and power and most importantly, love. He was buffeted all around by the combination of protective ferocity and unwavering love from his mate.

"I'm okay, just give me a second. Do you hear anyone, smell anything?" He closed his eyes and concentrated on the feel of Grayson's heart thumping behind him, willing his body to answer his mind's call. It was slow going but ever so faintly he felt the tale-tell tingle of The Power running through him. His pulse quickened, his heart raced and his pupils dilated. The light would make that particular aspect of his renewal throb painfully if they didn't get out of here soon, but he could handle it for a bit longer.

"Gray?"

Grayson snuffed angrily, his hackles going up as he turned to face back the way they'd come, though he didn't stir from his position. _Not yet, not quite yet,_ Kalan thought with relief, it meant they had a few more minutes to get to the lift.

"Alright then, I think we should get going. You can change back now. I know how painful it is for you to stay in this form." He rubbed a hand over the short copper stubble around Grayson's jaw, keeping his fingers away from the pointed teeth but close enough for the long tongue to flick over his skin softly. He smiled as Gray swung his head back and forth to clear the transformation from him, eyes slipping shut as a small groan slipped out of his once more humanoid mouth.

"_Hell_. That sucks, I don't know how they do it all the time." He grumbled, rubbing his hand along the copper stubble that hadn't disappeared with the claws and fangs. His eyes still glowed slightly as they always did afterwards.

"You're only half lycanthrope, Grayson, not a full blood, so it would stand to reason you would have a harder time transforming at will." Kalan scrubbed at the raw skin of his neck half-heartedly, the area around the mind-lock itched furiously. Grayson smiled smugly and leaned in close, licking along the line of small holes and causing Kalan to shiver in expectation.

"Don't tease Gray, we have to go before the guards show up."

"Aww..but 'Kai, it's been so long." The other whined child-like in his ear.

"Later, we have to go and I'm not fully recovered yet. I won't be able to help much if they send the Goblin-squad."

Grayson hissed, a low, hate filled sound that proved his emotions were running a bit too close to the surface of their mind link. He sent out a soothing thought to Gray and stood shakily, aiming for the next hallway that would lead them to the freight lift and down into the bowels of the city-tower. He could feel the others getting closer—they had to get away.

Gray scooped him up without ceremony and started running down the hall, his right hand snapped out at the last moment to fling them around the corner as they kept up the pace. Eventually sighting their desired target.

A target crawling with the Goblin-squad and right at their front…Nikoli and Kira.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

Grayson growled low, the feral sound rumbling around in his chest somewhere before escaping through his curled lips and sharp canines. Kalan laid a restraining hand on his shoulder before turning to the men barring their path. His bane and his torturers these were. Their shaved heads shinning in the light. He raised a long fingered hand palm out and _smiled_.

The world went sideways.

The Power surged under his skin, only a tenth of what he'd control when he was well again, but it was enough to dent walls and toss bodies the size of small vehicles like leaves on the wind. There was that sickening sensation again—the crawling of the in drawn source as it unfurled like a sas fern in his gut. He was still too weak to control it completely, but even this small amount of Power gave them a distinct advantage over their foes. Slipping from Grayson's grip he padded forward on bare feet slowly, determination steeling his steps.

"Nikoli, how does it feel to know your _pet_ is going to rip your throat out?"

His voice was barely a whisper but Grayson shivered none-the-less._ Oh he was pissed, beyond pissed,_ he thought and shivered again, despite the warmth of the city-tower. He hated the place. Its cloud-touching white heights a beacon on their dark world of Skyla'ar. It's suffocating heated whiteness with its off-world residents that sneered and scurried away from their dark forest covered surface with its rolling silver moors. He loved nothing more than lazing away a moon kissed night in the casa fields, their silvery-green surfaces covered in soft down tickling his neck as he laid back and watched the play of clouds over their triple moons. Nothing compared. Well, nothing other than Kalan of course.

Though the Council would never change their status to True Mates, they had long since given up trying to turn them from each other, labeling them 'Mates' in the Great Book of Shadows…officially sanctioning them as a bounded unit. He snarled slightly at the memory, it had to be _their_ doing, he knew that, but he also knew that very few fucked with Kalan Skinwalker and survived. Especially when he was pissed off, which was exactly what the two lone Goblin leaders were doing now.

He smiled toothily at the slight back step that the older one with hair like ka'silk in summer, it's pale golden strands long and straight, made at 'Kai's advancement. The golden haired one looked askance at his partner as 'Kai's fingers, still outstretched, twitched with as yet uncalled for power.

The Power. Only the Skinwalker clan could use it to the extent Kalan did. The lesser clans, the Winddancers and Grovekeepers, could wield it a bit, moving objects and _sometimes_ mind searching or dream walking, but 'Kai…'Kai was special. The last of the Skinwalkers. Six years ago during the clan wars he'd come across a broken and bloody Kalan laying half-dead in a burnt out keep, pinned by a roofing timber that had collapsed on him; his sister's hand still clutched in his. A grip frozen in death.

He'd, beyond all reasoning and much to the consternation of the Pack, taken him home. But he was a half-breed and as such had a place away from the rest of them, much to his relief. Eventually they'd kill him, he knew that. The Pack had no use for someone that couldn't properly hunt or even produce a strong litter of cubs for them, though he'd never had a female turn down his advances. The hardest part had been restraining the scouts. He'd buried Kalan's torn and tattered blood soaked clothing as far from their tunnel runs as he could and kept by the man's side morning, noon and blessed night. Before he knew it he'd become so attuned to Kalan's presence that being away from him had been impossibly painful.

He'd cursed himself and the Pack for sending him to the far North Territories that fateful day five years ago. Who cared about their stupid treaty with the Dwellers of the Deep Dark when it pulled him from 'Kai's side? The man was still too weak, even a year after the wars, to be alone for as long as he'd have to travel. He'd protested vehemently, well, actually he'd told his brother to fuck off, which he'd graciously acknowledged with a smarting cuff to the side of his head in full lycanthrope form, his three inch long claws racking across his cheek painfully for his insolence. He still had the scars.

Ja'toh had been kinder than he'd imagined at his rudeness to their Leader, but he still hated it. It galled him to think that because of some indiscretion on his father's part, _he_ had to suffer the menial tasks his kind abhored. Of course he hadn't even known what 'indiscretion' meant before Kalan. He'd learned a lot of things from the normally gentle man. Like love and vengeance. He saw the later now. As 'Kai's hair danced around him, the Power swelling visibly as a grey-green fog materialized from nowhere in particular and his eyes glowed with witch's fire. He sucked in a breath quickly. That was not a ten percent power spell…that was a full blown force wave and if 'Kai let that loose in here they'd all be dead.

"Kalan, no!" He screamed as the Power tensed around his thin form before billowing out in a shock wave that threw him a good twenty feet down the open hall. He moaned, feeling his ribs shift back into place as he tried to heave himself up and look around. There was the sound of wind, a roaring thing that pulled and tugged on him as he fumbled for hand holds along the too smooth walls. The outflow was just the first phase of the force wave: it stunned and immobilized the prey long enough for the caster to breathe deeply three times, and then it struck with a splintering force that could rip through the plastaglass walls around them like a sickle to the sheaths of duran wheat.

He lunged forward, pushing all of the power at his command into his legs. His freefall through open space landed him at the feet of Kalan, thank the gods. Standing up he grabbed the man by the shoulders and in one quick moved sealed his mouth over the others, swallowing his whispered 'three'. The pressure around them died on his tongue. He heard the scrabbling of the Goblin's retreat and the swish as the lift door slid open. Carefully he pulled Kalan into the shinning metal tube and slapped his fist against the down button, all the while kissing 'Kai as fiercely as he could. He had five years to make up for after all.

Kalan struggled for breath. Grayson's warm mouth covered his. His body all hot and lean, and sinewy under his clenched fists, blanketed his, pressing him up against the tube walls, the tiny pin-pricks of metal piercing the thin white cloth of the lab clothes. He knew he'd been thwarted by his mate's quick reflexes, and though his anger still smoldered, it wasn't threatening to char them to death in his single-minded fury anymore.

"Damn you." He whispered into Gray's mouth. "Why didn't you let me kill them?"

Grayson slid down a bit and leaned his head against Kalan's shoulder, breathing in the crisp scent of disinfectant and Power. "At that level we all would have died. I'm selfish, 'Kai, I couldn't lose you again. Not again." His voice cracked at the last bit. He really couldn't. He'd spent years searching for Kalan, hunting even into the Valley of the Watchers near the Southern Pole. With 'Kai's mind under guard in lock-down mode he had nothing to go by except rumor and supposition. He'd eventually gone to the Dwellers of the Deep Dark and asked for help. The price for it had been steep indeed and he wasn't sure what Kalan would say when he found out. He was almost more afraid of that than the Tower and the Guild's wrath at their escape. Almost.

Kalan sighed deeply and pressed his body in closer against Gray's. He finally felt warm and safe again. After so long, wondering if what he remembered was real or some defense cooked up by drugged brain cells. He had hoped, nursing the kernel of memory until it had been the only green and growing thing n his life, but he wasn't sure. Now, with the full length of him cradled in Gray's arms he could finally let down his guards and just _be_--knowing that here was safety.

"Hey, 'Kai? There's one thing I gotta tell you."

Kalan glanced up questioningly. Gray's voice held a slightly panicked note in it that he didn't like.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothings _'wrong'_ it's just…"

"What the _hell_ took you so long?!" An angry voice bitched at them through the metal grating of the tube wall as they came to a stop in the underground tunnels.

Kalan turned in Grayson's hold and looked out at two pairs of stormy grey-purple eyes and a shock of golden hair. The pursed lips and tapping foot stood out in sharp contrast to the pretty features—high cheekbones and slightly pointed ears.

"Yeah um, so 'Kai, this here is the thing I gotta tell you. In return for telling me where they'd stashed you, the Dwellers of the Deep Dark shoved this pissy little _princess_ and his hyperactive muk'lu on me." Grayson jerked his thumb over his shoulder as he pulled away and pulled open the metal cage door.

"I am _not_ a muk'lu! I'm Keb, and _you're_ a cockroach!" Five feet of furious brown energy crashed against Gray's chest as he attempted to leave the tube.

Kalan looked down in shock at the glowing…_person_. He guessed the boy was a person at least. Bronze from head to toe, his hair and eyes glowed a steady copper-green in the flickering subterranean lighting. Sitting as he was atop Grayson's white lab coat and slacks he was like a living torch. Even his clothing was in shades of bronze and gold. The long jerkin and knee-length britches seemed to be made of animal hide with tiny metal disks patterned in odd script around waist, throat and each of the cuffs.

The boy glanced up at Kalan and grinned broadly, his sharp teeth glistening whitely, "You must be Kalan. I'm Keb and he's Tarak." The boy jerked his chin back towards the blonde, long copper hair swishing as he moved; Kalan could just see the tips of long pointed ears from beneath their ragged lengths.

"Tarak…that's the high language for sun-star isn't it?" Kalan asked as Grayson pushed the kid off of him and struggled to stand up without wincing too much.

"Tch," the blonde muttered, "Of course it's the high language. Like I'd be caught dead speaking that swill you clans-men speak."

"Hey!" Grayson interrupted. "That's totally not fair! 'Kai, you know I suck at the high languages." He griped, swatting at the kid who kept poking him randomly.

"And what the _hell_ is wrong with you?! Stand still! And don't use animals from the Star-People, it's rude!"

"Why? Just 'cause you don't know what it is doesn't mean it's not true." He asked innocently.

Keb glanced over at Kalan, a look of deep concentration etched across his boyish looks. "How come you speak the high tongue anyways?"

""Kai speaks five languages, idiot. He's a Skinwalker, what'd you expect?" Gray pushed the kid back with a large hand, the pride in his voice unmistakable.

"If he's a Skinwalker, what the hell's he doing with a feral mutt like you?" Tarak asked smugly.

"Why you son of a…!"

"_**Enough!"**_ Kalan's voice rose over the others crackling with Power.

Grayson pulled back behind him in one quick movement, he knew _that_ voice. That was 'Kai's _'I've had enough of your childish antics and if you say one more thing you'll have to be peeled off the ceiling'_ voice. He'd uh…he'd kind of experienced it once before. He ran a hand sheepishly along the back of his neck when he heard the unmistakable sound of a flitter not to far away. He turned quickly, the growl escaping from his lips before he knew it.

"Screw this; we gotta get out of here, now! Move it Princess, muk'lu." He snapped, pushing them down the corridor and to their own flitter.

"Kalan, come on, man, we have to leave, now."

"I can stop them." He whispered, electricity arching between his finger tips as he turned to face the low flying vehicle.

"NO!! Kalan Skinwalker you _will_ come, NOW!" Grayson put everything into his call. He pulled on the very core of his connection with the source deep down in his gut and projected it across their link with as much force as he could muster. He felt his eyes change, his nails start growing and prayed that he didn't have to do another full change so soon after his last one.

Kalan staggered slightly under the weight of his mate's call and sparing once last glance down the corridor, turned and ran after the others. It was a mad dash to their own tiny vehicle, its insect-like body so small they had to sit almost on top of each other. He wasn't sure he wanted to know where they'd procured the thing.

"Hold on!" Gray shouted to them before using the psy-blasters on the nearest external wall. A perfect circle burned open by their intense heat.

It wasn't until they were a click away and under the cover of the first layer of forest that he finally remembered to breathe.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

The flitter made a rocky bump stop under the largest of the ka'a trees, its broad waxy leaves sheltering them from view of the city. They needed to be away from the machine as quickly as possible and Kalan wasn't about to stop and ask who or what their new traveling companions were until he was sure they were safe. Pushing past Keb and Tarak he flung open the shuttle door and jumped out, his knees buckling at the unusual motion. He'd have fallen if Gray hadn't caught him. He could think of a dozen things since they'd escaped that might have embarrassed him about being pulled in tightly against that broad chest, but Gray's mere touch made it all seem so silly. They were a Council sanctioned bonded pair, he shouldn't have to feel guilty or embarrassed by being embraced by his mate. Not ever.

And he didn't. Not really anyways. It was just disconcerting having two very obvious eyes boring into the back of his skull while Grayson was nuzzling into his neck, his hands large and possessive across his back. Just as he thought about turning around he heard Gray's familiar half-growl of frustration.

"What the _fuck_ is your problem?"

Kalan realized quickly that he was speaking to Keb, the boy's big eyed stare seemingly drawing in all the light around them and reflecting it back at them like a cat's. He went to turn and look but Gray held him tight; propping his sharp chin on his shoulder and glaring at the boy in agitation.

"I've just never seen two men act like that. Why do you do that?" He pointed at the line of small red teeth marks running down Kalan's neck, obvious leftovers from their earlier passionate kisses.

Grayson smirked at the kid, "Because he's my mate, and I'm allowed. Why do _you_ kiss?"

Keb blinked several times and glanced over his shoulder, his mouth opening to speak when Tarak cut in crossly.

"No! You are not even going to think about trying that shit with me. I'm not some horny dog that's ready to let anything hump its leg." He ground out as he pulled himself from the silver body of the shuttle.

"I don't get it. How can two men mate?" Keb asked petulantly, pouting at the pair of them.

Kalan breathed out a long suffering sigh and gently turned in Gray's hold, being very obvious that he had no intention of leaving the warm embrace.

"Keb, how old are you?"

"That's a loaded question." He heard Gray mutter into his neck.

"Me? Five hundred and seventeen. Why?" He blinked, confused at the change in conversation.

"Five hundred and seven...teen?!" Kalan squeaked.

"Yeah, see, that's why I said it was a loaded question. Look, explain about love and sex after we get away from here, won't ya? I got a feeling we won't be alone here for too much longer." Gray quipped, pushing himself off of 'Kai and starting for the back hatch.

"Five…hundred…" Kalan muttered, shock plainly written across his features.

"Hey, how do you do it? I mean, I've seen animals mate, but not men." Keb kept on, pulling on Kalan's sleeve in growing fascination.

"Knock it off muk'lu. 'Kai, come here and change. I brought your clothes." Grayson called out to him from the back of the shuttle.

"My…? Oh! Oh Gray, thank you!" Kalan exclaimed, clutching the bundle of ka'silk to his chest, a happy sigh escaping the gentle smile on his lips.

Shaking out the packet of cloth he fingered the intricate embroidery. The deep slate colored back was emblazoned with ruby camellias and fantastically detailed lycanthropes hunting in Pack formation over mountains. He knew without looking that his own was done up in midnight and emerald, covered in those same flowers but with vines and clouds curling and twisting over the surface.

Two works of wearable art that Aka'la had wrought on her loom for them. The young woman was one of the few members of the Pack that had accepted him unconditionally; his appreciation at the fact deep and abiding. He smiled at the memory as he discarded the hateful white gown and pulled on the dark britches, gasping as a warm hand slid across his scar.

"Gray…" he warned. It didn't hurt, but the overly sensitive patch had always been a spot of deep concern for him. It held too many memories.

"'Kai, relax, this is mine as much as it is yours." Kalan sucked in a breath, giddy for a moment at the thought that this was real. He was free, outside in the dark cool evening, the moisture heavy air filling his lungs with its slow burn again. The Wild Lands…oh how he had missed walking their wooded ways, Grayson at his side as the other patently showed him the wonders of the Pack's world.

He traced the warm honey hand stretched across his belly, outlining the individual fingers…wrist…strong forearm… "Oh! You got a new one!" he suddenly exclaimed, raising his fingers to lightly trace the dark ink across his arm and chest. "It's lovely."

Grayson glowed at the praise, "Yeah, Aka'la did it for me when I finally found out where you were. Kind of a 'you can do this' type of thing I guess." He flexed the muscle under Kalan's finger tips, smiling as those deceptively frail looking digits traced the twisting sickles and chains over his shoulder and halfway down his chest. Outlining, always following the line of one design as it curled, connecting to the next and the one after that. He moaned when Kalan leaned in and dragged his tongue along the dusky lines as well, falling back against the cargo door bonelessly.

"Fuck, 'Kai, gods I want you." He panted, heart beating rapidly under Kalan's tongue as it flicked across the surface.

"Yes, _yes_," he breathed.

The snap of a broken twig caught their attention. "What the hell are you two morons doing?" came the accusatory tone of Tarak as he stepped around the opened door.

Stopping dead, Kalan's head half an inch from Grayson's obvious arousal, his flushed face beautifully haunting in the moonlight Kalan turned to look at Tarak deadpan, his eyes glinting with barely controlled lust.

"Um…" Grayson tried, floundering for the right words as he drew a hand through his long hair and glancing at Kalan for some help.

"I was planning on sucking him off before you interrupted. This will only take a moment, so perhaps you can go entertain Keb or something." He drawled, annoyed.

Grayson blinked at Kalan's bluntness, though he thought his expression might have more of an '_oh please, please, please, by all that's holy, go away'_ desperation coloring his. Tarak took half a step back and regarded the sickly looking man with something bordering on suspicion.

"Well, five years will limit a guy's delicacy." He hissed, turning his back on Tarak and straightening enough to drag Grayson to the other side of the shuttle.

"'Kai, as much as I'd love to have a little throw-down right here, what do we do if _they_ come while your screwing me senseless?"

Kalan cocked his head and grinned, one of those terrifying looks he sometimes showed that bordered on crazed Power-wielder and it struck him again how much his mate had changed.

"Not changed, Gray, just…loosened up a bit." He murmured into Grayson's throat, his fingers wrapping around the back of his neck, nails scrapping along the surface as he nipped along Grayson's jaw and throat. Groaning into the contact Grayson arched his back, his hips grinding into Kalan's.

"I missed this…you…after so long, I wasn't sure if everything before was a dream or not."

"Kalan…"

"Tell me, Gray…tell me you still want me. That I'm not crazy and you're really here. Please." Grayson shivered at the terrified edge of his partners' voice.

Holding Kalan close he ran a warm finger down the side of his face, cupping his chin as he brought him up flush against his chest. Locking eyes he smiled sadly. Leaning in he dipped his head enough to lave feather light kisses across the pale brow and nose.

"I'm here, 'Kai and I'm not leaving you again. It's been so long since I've held you…its better even then I remember. I want you more than I can even describe. I love you, Kalan. I never stopped."

Kalan took a ragged breath and shut his eyes, holding the memory for a second longer in his mind, praying that he'd never have to live without Gray by his side again. When that warm mouth descended on his once more he melted into it, giving of himself in a way he'd never dreamed of before. Grayson was the other half of his soul. It'd only taken a horde of off-world scientists and five years of his life for him to truly understand that.

Grayson seemed determined to steal every last drop of oxygen from his lungs if the kiss was any indication. His fingers danced across his exposed back and slipped beneath the elastic waist band to fondle and kneed his ass with strong, sure movements. Kalan threw his head back and moaned at the contact, rubbing himself along the long hard line of Grayson's body, shaking with barely contained lust.

Dropping his head back onto his lover's shoulder, he prodded at the dark chest, pushing him back until he was far enough away to slide down between his legs. Kneeling in the loam he fingered the clasp of Grayson's britches and smiled up at the beads of sweat already starting to form on the other's furrowed brow.

"Kai, you don't…"

"I want to Gray. I've wanted to every day for the past five years."

"You're gonna bitch about getting dirty later, aren't you?" he accused, voiced thick with unspoken desire.

Chuckling lightly, Kalan dipped his head to run a soft pink tongue over the exposed shaft, mumbling as he answered, "Probably."

Grayson didn't bother trying to retort. Kalan had always been intoxicating in his beauty, both inside and out, but now with the triple moons shinning down on them, the dark splotches of forest shadow and breathy gusts of silver tinged moor wind teasing the lengths of his dark hair around his pale features, his eyes glimmering with witch's fire…he was breathtaking.

At the first sure stroke of that velvety tongue across his flesh Grayson knew that he'd only been half a man without his mate beside him all these years. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd felt so complete and loved. It was all like a fevered nightmare that had sucked the strength from his very bones. Kalan's cool fingers stroke him in time to the burning pulse of his hot mouth and breath, branding him all over again. He shuddered as teeth dragged across the tip, crying out as Kalan swallowed him down effortlessly.

"Fuck." He rasped as Kalan pulled himself up and kissed him deeply, thrusting his tongue into his mouth. Letting him taste himself—salt and sweat and Power. The heady intoxication that Kalan always left behind, still tingling across his nerves.

"I love you." He whispered, lips trembling against Grayson's jugular.

Wrapping the smaller man in the robe Grayson smiled tenderly, his long fingers lightly brushing the damp hair away from his eyes.

"I know. I love you, too, 'Kai. I always will."

As Kalan laid embraced in his lover's arms he chuckled softly…he couldn't decide which one of them was purring with contentment louder. He finally gave up trying to figure it out. It didn't really matter after all.

***

Tarak paced the small grove with about as much patience as his charge waited for dinner. Throwing a nasty look back towards the other side of the grove he growled low in his throat and turned once more on his heel, stalking back towards Keb.

"Whatch' think they're doing over there?" the boy glanced down on him from the nearest possible tree limb.

"Wasting time." Tarak spat out, throwing another annoyed look over his shoulder before slumping down against the tree's roots.

Dangling over the limb, Keb glanced towards the flitter and then towards the blond, a questioning look smeared across his face like animal grease.

"Don't." the other warned.

"What?"

"Don't bother them and don't ask me what they've doing. That fucking dog is probably having his ears petted or something about now and I don't want to hear about it."

Keb dropped down easily beside the man and curled in against him, his legs automatically folding under his body as he found his customary spot. Ignoring the sudden flame of heat the boy's body always brought, Tarak sighed wearily, his arm slipping around the muscular back, fingers trailing through the bright copper sheen of the thick mat of hair at his nape.

"You're worse than a cat." He grumbled.

"It's so hot down here," Keb mumbled sleepily, "I feel like I'm gonna melt and you're always so cool. It's like mountain water when you touch me."

"Say shit like that in front of those two and I'm gonna dose you in real mountain water, brat." Tarek murmured softly, his stormy eyes softly glowing violet.

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"…hey, Tarak?" Keb curled in a bit closer shivering.

"Umh?" Tarak's eyes were half-lidded as he absently carded his fingers through the boy's mane.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For taking me away from there. They would have killed me eventually. So, you know…thanks."

"Stupid, it's nothing you need to thank me for. Just…just try and get some sleep. We'll have tog et moving in a bit and I'm sure as hell not gonna carry you all the way back to The Wild Lands."

Keb mumbled something incoherent into Tarak's side, a large smile plastered across his features as he finally gave in to sleep. Of course he chose to ignore the sappy moment along with the heat of the boy's strong frame curled up tightly against his legs. Now if the other two idiots could just give them a few hours of sleep he'd be a hell of a lot happier…or at least more focused in his ire. The kid didn't deserve all his spite…normally.

TBC.


	4. Chapter 4

BSM Ch. 4

The screaming woke him. It always woke him, torn from his throat, rasping it raw with the metallic taste of his own blood flooding his mouth as he flailed against strong arms pinning him down against the cold metal of the shuttle door. He screamed until strong, sure lips pressed firmly against his own. Until his screams were swallowed by a skilled tongue and steady heartbeat thumping against his ribs.

"Kalan…'Kai…wake up, man. Its okay now, you're free, remember? Come on. Wake up, Kalan!" Grayson stroked the sweat dampened hair away from frightened mossy eyes and pressed their foreheads together, trying to keep the quick, flighty moments of Kalan's eyes fixed on his own. There was more than just a spider's web of new scars on his mate's body he realized, they'd carved him up inside as well.

"Shh…shh…its okay now. I'm here. I'm here." He repeated softly, arms wrapping around the slender frame tenderly, rocking him slightly as his breathing calmed down and the shaking slowly ebbed as Kalan came fully out of the nightmare.

"Gray…?"

"Yeah, it's me. You're safe now. You're safe."

It was all Kalan could do to not cry a new at the sensation of terror and loss he felt. It wasn't that he wanted to go back to the tower, ever, but he was terrified that one of these days he'd wake up and Grayson would be gone again. He was certain that if he ever gave in and truly accepted that he was free he would loose everything.

"You two idiots finally ready, or are you planning on laying around until the cavalry get here?" Tarak's gruff voice echoed over the shuttle.

"Give us ten will you, asshole?" Gray snapped, fingers still smoothing across Kalan's hair.

"Tsk! Just remember who's going to be hungry when he wakes up." He threatened, smiling in satisfaction as a barked out string of explicatives floated to him on the breeze.

***

The decision to leave the flyer wasn't an easy one. They could move faster and cover more distance with it, but with the security beckon it became a death trap that would lead the Goblin Squad right to them. Gray had tried prying it loose from the consol, but it was plas-welded into the hardware. Keb solved the dilemma when he tried to help.

"What the hell'd you do that for?!" Gray choked on the noxious fumes wafting up from the still sparking board.

"Che, idiot."

"Well then, I guess we should get going then, it'll be a long walk back to the Pack's Territories." Kalan shrugged, stifling an internal sighing as he reached for the med pack and looped it over his shoulder.

"Um…yeah, so about that…" Glancing over at his mate, one eyebrow delicately arched in interest as the redhead fidgeted nervously.

"They got their asses handed to them, mangy dogs." Tarak growled out around a lit ka'ta roll. Its musky cinnamon-clove scent hung between them heavily.

"Yeah, so when you were taken, the Pack split up. See, some went with Leader, most ran off into the Wild Lands. I, uh, I haven't seen them for about a year now."

"But Akal'a?" he motioned to the new tattoo confused.

"Yeah, that was a year ago, 'Kai. It took that long to break you out."

Kalan sucked in a sharp breath, "A year?"

"Yeah, stuck with these two, so you can kinda see why I'm a little…ah…pent up." The light blush and shifty eyes were cute and it took a lot of will power not to drag Gray back behind the shuttle before they left, but the boy was whining about how hungry he was, so it would have to wait.

"We'll talk as we walk then, come on, we might as well pick a direction."

"South, towards the Valley of the Watchers," Tarak stated flatly.

Kalan frowned at the man before shrugging, filing away the scrap to discuss with Gray at length later, "Very well then, south."

"We can stop by the Keep if you want." Gray whispered, coming up beside him. He was fiddling with a button on the pack he wore. Kalan waved his hand a way and fixed it quickly, taking a quite pleasure in being able to do things for people he cared about again.

"We'll see." He nodded lightly, pushing the unhappy thought away from him.

"I'd like to hear more about what happened while I was gone, keep us entertained while we walk, will you Gray?"

Gray flashed a bright grin, cocking his head to the side and purred, "The PG version, or do you want _all_ the details?"

"Smart ass." They heard Tarak grumble behind him. Kalan blinked at Grayson and then started chuckling softly; it felt good, being around normal people again, especially when Gray looped a friendly arm over his shoulder as they walked.

"What details? What are they talking about?!" Keb asked innocently, bouncing up next to the grumpy blond and tugging instantly on his sleeve. "Hey, Tarak, what are they talking about?!"

The throbbing vein pulsing at Tarak's right temple and Keb's childish antics set them both off again. Kalan swiped at his eyes to clear away the tears but he was happy. It was a quiet kind of insanity that seemed in when you were locked away for long periods by yourself. He knew that as much as he protested being around others, without the warm presence of real, caring people in his life he would have gone crazy long ago. If they had taken him after the Clan Wars, for example, he wouldn't have made it. He would have been so cow-downed and broken that he might have welcomed the pain and torture just as an escape from reality. They miscalculated by grabbing him when they did.

Grayson was watching, surreptitiously of course, as Kalan slowly went cold and rigid by his side. That normally meant the man was thinking of the past again and that was not a pleasant place for anybody to dwell in. He nudged him gently with his shoulder grinning cheekily at the man's look of consternation.

"It's over, 'Kai," he breathed, looking up at the distant grey smudge of foothills on the horizon.

Kalan leaned a little heaver against the offered warmth and relaxed, taking in the soft silver dew and deep greens of the forest as they walked onwards. It would take awhile to forget the constant fear that had prickled the back of his neck in clammy little shivers these last few years, but as Keb once more exclaimed how hungry he was and why wasn't he being fed, again, since they did manage a quick and simple breakfast only an hour earlier, he smiled. He'd have to relearn how to relax but he was optimistic for their future.

TBC


End file.
